This one has been talked about for weeks.

When Aberdeen Roncalli hosts St. Thomas More at 4 p.m. Saturday all eyes will be on Dacotah Bank Stadium for the battle between two Class 11B powers. STM (4-1) was rated among the top five earlier this season and Roncalli (5-0) is now rated fifth.

“It’s an exciting opportunity for our kids to get to play a school from outside of our area that we don’t typically see, other than last year,” said Roncalli coach Billy Young. “The two schools share a lot of similarities, including our mascot, both Catholic schools. I think it’s a fun opportunity. But outside of that, for us it’s another game and we’re trying to approach it that way.”

While it may be just one game in a schedule of eight, it certainly won’t feel like just another game. There are too many elements for that to happen. In addition to both teams fighting for precious seed points, there is a bit of a history between the two. Roncalli defeated STM to win both of its state football championships in 2005 and 2006.

“I think it almost has a playoff feel to it, although we’re trying to not put the focus on that so much,” Young said. “Kids read stuff and we all know the history of the championship games in the early 2000s and all of that. That just adds to the excitement. Our kids are looking forward to it.”

Not only that, but because the game will be played on Saturday with no other football games taking place in the area, it should have the spotlight all to itself.”

“I’ve always thought playing on Saturday afternoons was fun, whether it was college or high school,” Young said. “But this has a different feel to do it.”

St. Thomas More suffered its only loss a couple of weeks ago when it lost to Hot Springs. STM bounced back for a win over Class 11AA Sturgis last week.

Young isn’t putting much stock in STM’s only loss, pointing out that the squad was missing one of its better players. He knows that the team from Rapid City has plenty of firepower.

“They have some dangerous weapons,” Young said, “probably the best group of receivers in 11B, if not – in my opinion – maybe one of the best in the state.”

A victory over the West River Cavaliers would give Roncalli a boost in its quest to secure the top overall position in the class, a spot it currently owns.

“I think it’s huge from a seed-point standpoint, because if we can win this it gives us a chance to capture that number one seed,” Young said. “But if we weren’t to win, it doesn’t kill us, either.”

As Young pointed out, there are a lot of different things that could happen over the next three weeks that could alter those standings as well.

“Even winning out doesn’t guarantee you the one seed,” he said, “because I’ve looked at some different situations where we could win our remaining games and still end up third.”

Young learned last season not to try to predict how the seed points will shake out.

“I’ve gotten out of the business of trying to predict how seed points will work,” he said. “I went to bed last year thinking we were going to play St. Thomas More in the first round of the playoffs and I woke up to an email saying we’re playing Redfield.”

Young said the key to this weekend’s contest will be in doing the little things well. That includes items like ball control on offense and staying ahead of the chains, and not missing assignments and tackling well on defense.

“If you’re winning those little battles,” Young said, “the big ones generally take care of themselves.”